Shell Shocked
by Caskett1960
Summary: Post-7x15 'Reckoning.' Starts from the moment Tyson is shot until Kate and Castle arrive back home at the loft. Contains spoilers from the episode.


**DISCLAIMERS: 'Castle' is the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC Studios Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. The story is the property of the author.**

**SUMMARY: Post-7x15 'Reckoning.' Starts from the moment Tyson is shot until Kate and Castle arrive back home at the loft. Contains spoilers from the episode.**

**A/N #1: I am still working on my AU version of the events of 7x14 and 7x15, but this story has been rattling around in my head for some time. I'm surprised that I haven't seen anything resembling what I'm writing on Fan Fiction already.**

**Shell Shocked**

"Are we clear?" Esposito heard Castle's voice in the earbud that was firmly planted in his ear.

"Yeah, I'm good, bro."

"What're you talking about?" Tyson stared at his nemesis, wondering if the writer had finally lost his mind.

"Then, take the shot," Castle's voice was cold and calculating.

Esposito pointed his sniper rifle and took careful aim when he saw Tyson turn and stare out of the window. The single shot hit the serial killer in the heart. After about 30 seconds, he saw him crumple to the floor. "Ryan, he's down. You're good to go in."

Inside of the room, Castle ran over to where Tyson was lying dead on the floor just as Ryan ran in. "Did he give you a location?" Ryan asked as they searched Tyson's pockets for his phone.

"He was just on the phone. Beckett's still alive. They have her on some kind of remote video feed."

Ryan called in to get a trace started on the call. After a few minutes, Tory called them with a location. She also told them that ESU would meet them at the location. "Fine, but tell them that we're going in ahead of them!" He hung up and looked at Castle. "They have a location. It's about half an hour from here. ESU's going to meet us there. Let's go!"

"What about Amy?" Castle asked, referring to the young woman he'd locked in the trunk of his car.

"Don't worry about her. We got a unit to take her into custody. Come on, let's go get Beckett!"

***CCC***

The building didn't look like much from the outside. It was a non-descript abandoned office building in the middle of a normal looking city block. ESU used a battering ram and the boys ran into the building, which seemed to be covered in layers of plastic wrap. They kicked in another door and stopped short at the sight that awaited them.

It was obvious that a battle to the death had taken place. The room was in shambles, but at the far end, they could see Dr. Kelly Nieman lying on the cement floor in an ever widening pool of blood. Standing above her body was Kate, her body wobbling unsteadily. She was dressed in a pair of scrub pants and a white t-shirt, her feet bare. Dangling from her blood soaked hand was a scalpel. Blood from her fingertips was dripping onto the floor.

Castle began approaching her slowly, able to tell from her body language that she was clearly in a state of profound shock. "Beckett?" He continued walking toward her. The boys, as if sensing that they needed to be cautious, continued to hang back with the ESU team.

After what seemed an eternity, Kate turned, but she still didn't seem to be absorbing her surroundings. Castle stepped up to her and slowly touched her cheek with a gentle hand. It was only then that she allowed him to press her against his chest, his sigh of relief sounding loud in her ears.

At the back of the room, Esposito pulled out his cell and called Capt. Gates. "Sir, we've got Beckett. She's okay. Both suspects are deceased."

"Thank God," he could hear the captain sigh in relief. "All right, Esposito. Get back to the precinct as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir," he ended the call. "Capt. Gates wants us back at the house as soon as possible."

"Kate, are you all right?" Castle asked, bringing his hands up to softly stroke her back. "Did she hurt you?"

"I'm okay," she finally whispered. "I don't know where my clothes are."

Castle closed his eyes and fought back tears because he knew exactly where Kate's clothes were. They had been on the woman who'd been murdered earlier. The woman that they'd all thought was Kate. "I have some clothes in our car," Ryan volunteered. "Jenny leaves a change of clothes for when she goes to the gym. They should fit you."

"Is there somewhere . . . I need to clean up," Kate was having trouble stringing her thoughts together. She pushed away from Rick and stared at the blood that was still covering her hand.

"There's bound to be a bathroom around here somewhere. Ryan, can you find those clothes?" Castle turned toward the other detective.

"Right away."

Kate allowed Rick to lead her out of the room and through the building until they finally found a washroom. She turned to him before she opened the door. "Rick, I'm okay. I just need to wash this blood off. When Ryan brings the clothes, will you bring them in to me?"

"Yeah. Kate?"

"Rick, I'm okay. Just bring me the clothes."

Castle sighed as he watched Kate push open the bathroom door and go inside, closing the door behind her. He was reluctant to let her out of his sight. He also knew that she was probably in shock and he wanted someone to take a look at her. But he knew that Kate would never go for it. "Castle?" He turned to find Ryan standing beside him with an armful of clothes as well as a pair of sneakers. "How is she?"

"She says that she's okay, but she doesn't seem okay. She's in shock, Kevin. I think we need to call paramedics to take a look at her."

"You're probably right. I'll call for an ambulance."

"Thanks," he patted his friend on the shoulder before taking the clothes and looking at the closed door. He finally raised his fist and knocked on the door. "Kate? I have some clothes for you."

"Okay," he heard her muffled voice from behind the door. "You can come in."

Castle tentatively opened the door and entered the room. Kate was standing at the sink, scrubbing her hands under a stream of steaming water. "The blood won't come off, Castle."

"Hey," he walked over and adjusted the temperature of the water before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Kate, we want paramedics to take a look at you."

"Castle, I'm fine," she turned to look at him. "She drugged me, but except for some abrasions on my wrists from being in restraints, I'm fine."

"Kate, you're _not _fine. You're in shock. Just let them check you out. Please?"

"I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

"No, you're not."

"Just let me change clothes," she took the clothes that Castle had placed on the edge of the sink.

"I'll be right outside."

Waiting until Rick had left the room, Kate lifted the white t-shirt over her head and pulled on the faded NYPD hoodie that she imagined had once belonged to Kevin, who had in turn given it to Jenny. She then removed the blue-gray scrub pants, replacing them with a pair of gray sweats, which were a little big, but she fixed that problem by cinching the drawstring in the waistband. She then sat down on the toilet seat and put on the sneakers, which were almost a perfect fit. Reaching into the pocket of the sweat pants she found a ponytail elastic, which she used to tie her hair into a haphazard ponytail.

After throwing the clothes she'd been given by Dr. Nieman into the trash, she opened the bathroom door and almost collided with Rick, who was standing right outside. "The paramedics are outside," he told her as he guided her out of the building and into the chill February afternoon.

"What happened to Tyson? Is he dead? She was concerned because he didn't call her back," Kate was rambling as Castle walked her over to the ambulance.

"I'll tell you everything. Let's get you checked first."

One of the paramedics took Kate's vital signs and asked her questions, which she dutifully answered. "Well, you seem a little dehydrated, but overall, you're okay. Just drink plenty of fluids and get some rest."

"Thank you," she climbed out of the back of the ambulance and back over to Castle. "Where to now?"

"The captain wants us at the precinct," Esposito told her.

"Okay," she took a deep breath, looking over when she felt Castle place a calming hand on her back.

"It shouldn't take long," Castle assured her.

Castle had left his car at the house where he and the boys had lured Tyson, electing to ride in the back of Ryan and Esposito's car when they went to get Kate. Espo had already told him that they'd give him and Kate a ride home after the precinct. He realized that all Castle wanted to do was hold Kate as tight as he could.

But when they got into the backseat of the car, Castle found Kate to be still stiff and unresponsive to him. But she kept glancing at him as if she expected him to disappear at any moment. He put his hand down between them on the seat, breathing a sigh of relief when she placed her hand over his. "Beckett?" Kate took her eyes from Castle to focus on Ryan in the front seat. "We have some bottled water if you'd like one."

"Yeah, that would be great," Kate answered as Ryan handed her a bottle of water. Kate opened the bottle and drank from it greedily. "How did you find me?"

"We, uh, we baited Tyson," Castle told her.

"Is he dead?" Her eyes went back and forth between Castle and Ryan.

"Espo shot him. He had a video feed from where you were being held. How did you get free?"

"I tried to take the side rail off of the table so that I could slide my restraints off," she looked down at her fingertips, which were raw and covered in crusted blood. "When that didn't work, I unthreaded one of the restraints. I just . . . got loose," she turned her attention to the passing scenery, clearly letting the boys know that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

She squeezed Castle's fingers, giving him a smile at the feel of his hand in hers. For two days, she was positive that she was never going to see him again. She was just so overwhelmed at the moment that it was hard to think coherently. Everything at the end had happened so fast. It felt like one moment Dr. Kelly Nieman was standing beside her with a scalpel and the next; she was lying dead on the floor with her throat slit. It was the first time she'd ever killed someone in such an up close and personal way. It still chilled her to the very core of her being.

Castle could feel her stiffen up when the boys pulled up in front of the precinct. "Kate?" He softly called out her name. "This won't take long. Then we can go home."

"Okay," she nodded.

They all walked into the precinct and over to the elevator. Castle pushed the button for the fourth floor and put his arm around Kate's shoulder, drawing her close to him as he felt her clutch at his hand, her eyes continuing to dart to him. He gave her a reassuring smile, holding her a little tighter as the elevator came to a stop.

The second that they stepped off of the elevator, every person in the bullpen stood up and burst into applause. Kate didn't know how to react. She didn't want to be here. She just wanted to go home where it was quiet.

Castle could tell that the attention was overwhelming her. He rubbed his hand up and down her arm while he propelled her toward Capt. Gates' office. Suddenly Lanie came running around the corner and right into Kate's arms. Kate took a deep breath as she embraced her best friend. "I was so scared!" Lanie held Kate in her arms. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Kate said as Lanie released her and they continued walking toward Capt. Gates, who had come out of her office and was waiting for them.

"That was the stupidest, reckless, most irresponsible stunt you've ever pulled, Mr. Castle," she told the assembled group before softening her tone. "Thank you," she held her hand out toward Castle.

Instead of shaking her hand, Castle instead embraced the stunned woman. "All right, all right!" She said as Kate rolled her eyes and let out a chuckle at Castle's exuberance. "There's still the matter of the assault charges."

"Wait! What assault charges?" Kate looked at Castle for an explanation.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you all about it later. But, Captain, you can't be serious."

"Serial killer or no, you threatened an unarmed man with a gun. The D.A. takes that very seriously. But, in light of your outstanding work on this case, he's willing to drop the charges if you agree to 1000 hours of community service."

"A thousand hours?" Castle shouted in outrage.

"Yes. As a consultant to Det. Beckett and the 12th Precinct," she added as Kate laughed joyfully.

"I'm . . . I'm . . . I'm being unbanned?" Castle asked in shocked disbelief.

"Mr. Castle, welcome back," Capt. Gates smiled as Castle reached for her and hugged her again. "Okay."

"Ha!" Castle released Capt. Gates and turned toward Kate, who was holding her arms out toward him. Her smile was huge and joyful as she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt him lift her off of the floor.

"Det. Beckett, IAB has a few questions for you and then you can go home for a few days," Gates saw Kate give Castle an anxious look when he'd put her back on the floor. "I promise that I'll make them keep it as brief as possible. Ryan, you, Esposito, and Mr. Castle are next, so don't go anywhere."

"You'll be okay," Castle pressed his lips to her forehead.

Kate followed Capt. Gates into her office where IAB was already waiting. "We just have a few questions, Det. Beckett," Capt. Clark from IAB spoke first. "What happened the night that you were abducted?"

"I got a call from Amy Barrett. She was saying that she'd seen Michael Boudreaux on TV with Sharon Watts. She wanted to meet with me because she was afraid for her safety."

"But why was she in fear of her life? Wasn't Michael Boudreaux in custody?"

"At that point, he was still being questioned. He wasn't in police custody."

"What happened when you got to the location where you were supposed to meet Ms. Barrett?"

"My phone rang. When I answered it, it was an old song that Dr. Nieman had left me and Mr. Castle as a clue a year ago. Shortly after that, I felt something being stabbed into my arm. I blacked out after that."

"Did Dr. Nieman or Mr. Boudreaux—"

"He wasn't Michael Boudreaux," Kate cut off the captain. "He was Jerry Tyson."

"Did either of them say anything to you while you were held captive?"

"I never saw Mr. Tyson. She wanted my face."

"Excuse me?" Capt. Clark sat forward in his chair. "What do you mean she wanted your face?"

"She had some 3-D imaging machine. Her plan was to change her looks so that she could look like me. I don't understand all of it. Can I please just go home now?"

"One more question. I understand that both Dr. Nieman and Mr. Tyson are deceased. How did Dr. Nieman die?"

"She came at me with a scalpel. I managed to overpower her and I stabbed her in the throat."

Capt. Gates could see Kate fidgeting and losing what little composure she had left. "Gentlemen, if you have any further questions for Det. Beckett, you can ask them in a few days. She's had a rough couple of days and I'm sure that she'd like to go home with her husband."

"Of course. If we have any more questions, Det. Beckett, we'll contact you. But as it stands, everything looks fairly cut and dried. Clearly Dr. Nieman's death was a case of self-defense."

"Let's wrap everything up with my other detectives and Mr. Castle so that Mr. Castle can take his wife home," Capt. Gates ordered the IAB detectives.

Kate left Gates' office while the boys and Castle took her place. She went out to her desk and sat down, smiling when Lanie came over and sat in Castle's chair. She reached out and took Kate's hands, examining her raw, chafed wrists before looking at her massacred fingers. "How did you do this?"

"On one of the bolts on the table she had me strapped to. I had to get free, Lanie."

"I know, sweetie. I'm so glad that you're all right."

"Me, too," Kate heaved a sigh.

Esposito went into the captain's office first, leaving Ryan and Castle to wait their turns outside. Castle kept glancing over his shoulder to look at Kate, who was sitting at her desk talking to Lanie. "It's SOP," he turned his attention back to Ryan. "We didn't do anything wrong. The bad guys are dead and we got Beckett back alive."

"I'm worried about Beckett."

"She's been through a lot. I think she's still in shock and trying to decompress. She'll probably relax more once you get her home."

The other detectives in the bullpen were coming up to Kate to let her know that they were glad that she was okay. Watching her, Lanie could tell that all of the attention was beginning to overwhelm her friend. "Hey, why don't we go into the break room?" Lanie suggested as Kate nodded. "Are you okay?" She asked after they entered the room.

"Yeah," Kate hugged her arms. "I . . . it's just a lot to take in."

"She's fine, sweetie," Castle walked into the break room while chatting on his cell phone. "Hold on, you can ask her yourself." He held his phone out toward Kate. "Alexis wants to hear for herself that you're okay."

Kate took a deep breath before taking Castle's cell phone from him. "Hello?"

"Kate, thank god! Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they? Gram and I have been so worried about you!"

"Alexis, I'm fine. I'm a little rattled, but they didn't hurt me."

"I'm so glad. Dad said that it's safe for Gram and me to come back home. I guess we'll see you sometime tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Are you in the Hamptons?" Kate was confused.

"No, dad sent us out of the country. He thought that Tyson was in the loft."

"Wait," Kate looked at Castle in confusion. "Where are you?"

"We're in Bermuda. Dad wanted us to be safe."

"Alexis, I'm sorry if I'm a little slow on the uptake here—"

"Kate, I promise that I'll explain everything when we get home," Castle held his hand out for his phone. "If you're ready, Espo and Ryan are going to give us a ride home. They'll bring my car to me later."

"Alexis, I'll talk to you and Martha tomorrow. Be safe flying home."

"We will. I'm so glad that you're all right, Kate."

"Thank you, Alexis."

Kate ended the call and returned Castle's phone to him. "I know that you're confused. But let's go home so that I can fill in the blanks for you."

"Okay," Kate turned to face Lanie. "Lanie, thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetie," Lanie tentatively hugged her friend. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will."

They left the precinct in the same way in which they'd arrived. Riding down in the elevator, Castle kept Kate pressed close to his side. Once in the car he reached across the back seat for Kate's hand. She smiled at him, relaxing a little when she felt him caressing the back of her hand. "What did IAB say to you?" She asked.

"Nothing," Espo answered. "They agreed with Capt. Gates that what we did was reckless and stupid, but they were happy with the results. All that mattered was getting you back in one piece."

"So, the matter is closed?"

"It is as far as IAB is concerned," Ryan turned around to face Kate. "Go home and relax for a few days."

When Espo pulled up in front of the apartment, Castle released Kate's hand long enough to pull open his door handle and assist her from the car. "Thanks, boys."

"You've got it. Take it easy," Espo called out.

The moment that the car left the area, Castle once again slipped his arm around Kate's shoulder, guiding her past the doorman and into the lobby. She could feel him trembling when they rode the elevator upstairs. "Hey?" She forced him to look at her. "Are you okay?"

He started to say something, but his emotions got the better of him. He took a deep breath and blew it out as the elevator stopped on their floor. He took his key from his back pocket and unlocked the door before guiding her inside. Once the door was closed, he turned to face her, his eyes shining with tears. He took another deep breath before finally speaking. "Can I please hold you?"

"Oh, Rick," Kate sighed. "I thought that you'd never ask."

She walked into Rick's arms, feeling them tighten around her. She breathed in the scent of him, the smell that never failed to make her feel like she was home. It was only after breathing in his warmth and feeling the love that he projected while he held her that Kate allowed the tears that she'd been holding in for the past two days to come.

Feeling Kate shaking with sobs against him, Castle felt his own tears begin to fall. After a few minutes, he cupped Kate's face in his hands, tilting her chin up and giving her a kiss of longing and tenderness. He wiped her tears from her cheeks, chuckling when she reached up to wipe his face with her fingers. "I never thought that I'd ever be in your arms again. I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too."

"Why did you send Martha and Alexis away?" She asked him.

"Why don't I fix us some wine and I'll try to answer your questions," he led her over to the sofa and made sure that she was comfortable before going into the kitchen and cracking open a bottle of red wine. He poured two glasses and walked over, handing her a glass before settling down beside her. "Where do you want me to start?"

"How about with the assault charges?"

"Ryan and I went to see Tyson after we learned that you were missing. He let us search his apartment, but we didn't find anything. Well, I went back later and let's just say that I was slightly more persuasive in my approach."

"Rick," Kate sighed.

"I know," he took her fingers in his. "I was stupid. I think one of his neighbors heard us fighting and they called the cops. Tyson pressed assault charges against me. Gates took me to be booked and she gave me a pep talk. She told me about when she asked you why she kept me around. She told me that I needed to find Tyson's story. That was the only way that I was going to find you."

"Did they find out why the DNA didn't match?"

"No, and I really don't think that matters now because they're both dead."

"So, Martha and Alexis?" She prompted him.

"After he pressed the assault charges against me, Tyson left the precinct. But he called me 15 or 20 minutes later, taunting me. I begged him to let you go and take me. He said that if he took me, he only got to kill me once. Having you, he got to kill me over and over. Ryan traced the call and told me that it was coming from the loft."

"Oh my god," Kate breathed.

"He wasn't here, but I couldn't put my mother and daughter in danger. Not when I didn't even . . . when I didn't even know if you were alive or dead."

"So, you sent them out of the country?" He nodded and wiped at his face. "Castle, that was probably the hardest and bravest thing you've ever done."

"I felt so helpless, Kate. They played so many mind games on us. They found a drug addict . . . they put her in your clothes," tears began raining down his face at the memory of the woman in the warehouse. The woman they'd all thought was Kate after the rigged shotgun blasts ripped through her body. "We all thought that it was you. The second that ESU barged through the door . . . they had a shotgun rigged so that it would go off when the doors were kicked opened."

"She drugged me, Castle. When I woke up, I was wearing the clothes that you found me in. I knew that she was going to kill me. I started working on the bolt that was holding the rails up on the bed. I tore my fingers all to shit," she glanced down at her fingers, "but I had to get loose."

"I know."

"How did you find Tyson?"

"After the death of the drug addict, we had a huddle. I told the boys that we were going to have to take the game to Tyson. I went to the prison to see Marcus Gates. He told me about this house that Tyson had told him about. It was some house outside of the city where he'd gone as a kid. I drove out there and I saw Amy Barrett."

"Amy was in on this with them?"

"We think so. I think they were training her as a protégé. She tried to tell me that she was alone in the house, but I didn't believe her. I put zip ties on her wrists and locked her in the trunk of my car."

"Castle!"

"Kate, I was desperate! The boys were right behind me. Ryan told me that Espo called a patrol car and she was taken to the precinct. As it turned out, I was right not to believe her. I didn't find you in the house, but I found a remote video feed that showed you and I also found Tyson. Or, I should say that he found me."

"I knew that you were with him. He called and I listened to her side of the conversation. She did some 3-D imaging of my face. She told me that she was going to take my face so that she could go on the run. I guess that he was supposed to call back and he didn't."

"It was never about me, Kate. It was all about Tyson and his ego. The fact that he wasn't as smart as he thought he was. I went into that house with an earbud in my ear so that I could communicate with Esposito. Esposito was in a sniper's nest."

Kate knew how accurate Espo was with his sniper rifle. She'd seen it firsthand when he'd shot and killed Lee Travis. "Espo shot and killed him?"

"Dead on in the chest. After he shot him, Tyson turned with this look on his face like he couldn't believe what had just happened. And then he just dropped."

"Wow," she breathed.

"Kate?" She brought her eyes up to look at him. "Do you feel like talking about what happened? It's okay if you're not ready."

"She knew that something was wrong," Castle had noticed that Kate had yet to mention Nieman's name. "I had been trying to take the railing apart, but that wasn't working. So I started trying to unravel the thread on my restraint. Rick, I don't know what happened. I don't know if she heard me scratching at the thread or she just sensed that I was up to something. She came over . . . and she took a scalpel from this bag. She came at me with it just as I got my wrist free."

"It's okay," he pulled her close, feeling her arms come around him and hold on as tightly as she could. "You did what you had to do."

"I'm really tired," she whispered against his shoulder. "I think I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed."

"Okay," he touched her face before kissing her gently. "I'm going to call my mother and find out what time their flight is tomorrow."

"Okay." 

"I'm so happy to have you back home."

"I'm happy to be back home," she smiled before kissing him once again.

She got up and walked to their bedroom while Castle pulled out his phone and called his mother. Martha answered on the first ring. "Richard, is Katherine all right?"

"She's fine. She's still in shock, but I think she'll be fine in a few days. What time is your flight tomorrow?"

"We'll be flying in at seven tomorrow evening. Alexis and I wanted to do some shopping first. We want to find something nice for Katherine."

"That's very sweet. Kate will like that. Have fun and have a good flight. Do you want me to pick you up or would you like me to send a car to get you?"

"You can send the car service. That way, you and Kate can relax at home. We'll see you tomorrow night. I love you both."

"I love you, too."

After taking a shower, Kate crawled into bed and tried to rid herself of the images that kept racing through her mind. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear Castle walk into the room. "My mother and Alexis are on their way home after they do some shopping," he took off his watch and climbed into bed beside Kate. "I don't see how you did it."

"What?" She asked, facing away from him.

"Kept it together for the two months that I was missing. Two days I didn't know where you were and it nearly killed me."

Kate rolled so that she was lying on her back. "Do you ever think about what happened? When you were gone?"

"All the time," he admitted.

"Every time I close my eyes, I see her face."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding. "I see his, too. Since that night on the bridge. Do you know how I deal with it?"

"No," she gave him a small smile.

"I open my eyes and look at you."

She smiled and reached up to touch his face. "Thanks for coming to get me."

"Always."

She rose up to give him a soft kiss, which he returned by kissing her one more time. He then lay on his back, smiling when he felt her roll toward him and rest her head on his chest. He softly rubbed her shoulders as they both drifted off to sleep.

The next day they spent the day quietly waiting for the rest of the family to return home. It was a little after eight o'clock that evening when the door burst open and Alexis came running in, straight for Kate, who was still recovering from the shock of her ordeal, so the exuberance of her stepdaughter's greeting took her completely by surprise.

"Are you sure that you're okay?" Alexis asked.

"I'm fine. I'm still recovering from the shock, but physically I'm going to be all right. How was the shopping trip?" She asked.

"Oh, we had a wonderful time," Martha came forward and embraced Kate. "We found you something absolutely lovely."

"Oh, Martha. You didn't have to get me anything."

"Nonsense," Martha waved her hand dramatically. "I believe that Alexis has it packed in her bags. Richard, you look much better than the last time I saw you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mother. I'm happy to have Kate home."

"Darling, we were worried sick about you," Martha hugged Kate once again.

"Thank you, Martha," Kate felt herself becoming overwhelmed once again by all of the attention. She never liked a lot of attention, preferring to lick her wounds in private.

"Kate, Gram and I got this for you," Alexis held a tissue wrapped bundle out toward Kate.

Kate unwrapped the bundle and smiled. Alexis and Martha had bought her a china elephant decorated in small seed pearls. "Oh, this is beautiful. I can't wait to put this on my desk with my other elephants," she stood up and hugged both women.

Later that night, Kate was lying in Castle's arms after they made love. "Rick, are you awake?" She whispered in the quiet stillness of their room.

"Um," he mumbled sleepily, tightening his arms around her waist. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to make sure that I had your attention."

"You've always had my attention. What's on your mind?" He opened his eyes when she rolled over toward him.

"Do you remember when you were telling me that there's no right time to have a baby?"

"I remember," he was instantly wide awake.

"The last few days made me realize that I can't keep putting off the things that I really want to do. And the one thing that I know for certain is I don't want to put off having a baby with you. I love you so much," she punctuated her words with a sweet kiss. "Let's make a baby, Castle."

"I've never had a sexier proposition in my life," his grin was huge as he wrapped his arms around her, gently rolling her so that he was propped above her. "I love you so fucking much."

"I love you, too."

"So, let's make a baby, Mrs. Castle."

**A/N #2: I will be posting to 'Shadows in the Darkness' in a few days. **

**A/N #3: If Amy's fate seems unclear, blame the writers. We never found out what happened to Amy after Castle locked her in the trunk of his car. **

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